Container and cap therefor



FIG. 3.

F. H. JOBSON CONTAINER AND CAP THEREFOR Filed Dec. 28, 1950 FIG.

mvszvrozm FREDERIO H. JOBSON Patented Aug. 18, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE CONTAINER AND CAP THEREFOR Frederic H. J obson, Atlanta, Ga.

Application December 28, 1950, Serial No. 203,049

8 Claims.

This invention relates to a container, and mor particularly to acontainer of the type commonly referred to as a collapsible tube, suchas is employed for containing tooth paste, shaving cream or the like.

The primary object of the invention is to avoid the loss of the closurecap for the container and to assure its association at all times withthe container for ready movement into and out of closing relation withthe discharge opening of the container.

Another object is to move the closure cap into and out of closingrelation with the discharge opening of the container by the simplemovement of an element of the device in a rectilinear path across thedischarge end of the container.

Still another object'is to facilitate the rapid assembly of the closurecap with the container and the actuating slide member.

The above and other objects may be attained by employing this inventionwhich embodies among its features a closure cap carried by the containerfor movement in a curved path into and out of closing relation with thedischarge opening of the container, a slide member carried by thecontainer for movement in a path which intersects the curved path, meanscarried by the slide member for movement into intersecting relation withthe curved path and engagement with the closure cap to hold said closurecap in closing relation with the discharge opening of the container, andmeans carried by the closure cap and engageable by the slide member formoving said closure cap out of discharge opening closing relation uponmovement of the closure cap retaining means out of the arcuate path.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a fragmentary edge view of a container and closure capembodying the features of this invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view through a containerillustrating this improved closure cap and slide member in placethereon, with the closure cap in closing relation to the dischargeopening of the container;

Figure 3 is a View similar to Figure 2 illustrating the slide memberretracted and the closure cap moved to open position;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figures 2 and 3 illustrating the parts inanother position;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figures 2 and 3 illustrating the manner ofassembling the parts;

and

Figure 6 is a perspectiveview of the closure cap andactuating arm andlugs therefor,

Referring to the drawings in detail a conventional collapsible tube Illis provided at one end with a head Ilia having therethrough a dischargethroat I2 adjacent which is formed in the head a chamber I l. Thechamber I4 opens outwardly adjacent the discharge end of the throat I2through the top surface I20, and the top edge of the wall of the chamberremote from the throat I2 is provided with a notch E6 the purpose ofwhich will hereinafter appear. As illustrated in the drawings, thedischarge end of the throat I2 is inclined toward the body of thecontainer It as it recedes from the longitudinal axis of the containerto form an inclined seat It for engagement by the closure cap to be morefully hereinafter described. The container is provided on opposite sidesof the throat I2 and chamber with dovetail grooves 22 (Fig. l) and atopposite ends with transversely extending grooves 24 and 2B.

A closure cap 28 is provided at one end with a perpendicular flange 30for entrance into the groove 26 and carried by the opposite end of theclosure cap 28 is an actuating arm designated generally 36 which isreceived in the chamber It as will be readily understood upon referenceto the drawings. A layer of suitable sealing material 38 is carried bythe cap 23 between the flange 30 and the arm 36 for engagement with theinclined end It of the discharge throat I2 in order to form a tight sealtherewith when the cap is in closed position. The end of the arm 3%adjacent the cap 28 is made relatively heavy and extends at an obtuseangle relative to the cap. As the arm recedes from the angular extensionit curves in the direction of the plane of the top of the cap and isprovided at its end remote from the cap with a fulcrum lug 43 which isadapted to enter the notch I6 previously referred to and form a pivotabout which the cap moves in a curved path away from the throat I2. Anactuating lug 42 is carried by the arm 36 at the end thereof remote fromthe cap 23 and projects in a direction opposite the lug it as will bereadily understood upon reference to the drawings.

Mounted for sliding movement on the container head ltd in the dovetailgrooves 22 thereof is a slide member designated generally i l andprovided adjacent one end with a recess 36 which opens toward thecontainer It and is provided with a cam Wall 38 which is adapted toengage the lug 42' as the slide member :34 moves in a rectilinear pathwhich intersects the path of movement of the closure cap 28. Carried bythe slide member 44 adjacent the end thereof remote 3 from the recess 46is a closure cap retaining member 563 which is moved with the slidemember into and out of intersecting relation with the curved path inwhich the closure cap 28 is moved into and out of sealing relation withthe seat I8 of the discharge throat l2. As illustrated, the cam 48 is solocated and shaped that as the slide member it is moved to retract theclosure cap retaining means out of intersecting relation with the curvedpath of movement of the closure cap, the actuating lug 42 of theactuating arm 36 is moved downwardly to place the arm 36 under tensionand seat the fulcrum lug til in the notch IE. Substantially upon theinstant of withdrawal of the closure cap retaining means from itsprojection into the path of movement of the closure cap, the cam 4-8contacting the actuating lug d2 will cause said lug to rock about thefulcrum lug iii} in the notch l6 and move the closure cap out of closingrelation with the seat it, thus exposing the discharge opening in thethroat if to permit the contents of the container it to be dispensedthrough said opening.

When the desired amount of material has been removed from the containerin, the slide member 4a is moved to advance the closure cap retainingmeans toward the curved path of movement of the closure cap, thuspermitting the weighted end of the arm 38 to move into the chamber l4substantially as illustrated in Figure 3 and upon further movement ofthe slide member M, the closure cap retaining means will be advancedinto intersecting relation with the curved path and contact with theclosure cap to force it into sealin relation with the seat 48.

In assembling the parts, the lug ill is seated in the recess or notch itwith the actuating arm 3-8 lying substantially parallel with the end ofthe container iii. The slide member 44 is then engaged with the dovetailgrooves 22 and advanced across the actuating lug 32 toward the throat l2and in end closing relation with the chamber M. Obviously as the closurecap retaining means moves into closure cap retaining position, the arm36 will rock about its fulcrum is into substantially the positionillustrated in Figure 2.

By thus moving the slide member, the closure cap retaining means iii) isadvanced into and out of intersecting relation with the curved paththrough which the closure cap 28 moves and when said closure capretaining means lies in intersecting relation with said path, theclosure cap 25 will be held in sealing relation with the seat it? of thethroat 12.

In the preferred form of this invention the arm 3a; is made of aresilient material so that the cam 48 can place the arm under tensionand the instant that the closure cap retaining means 55 moves out of thecurved path, the closure cap 28 will spring upwardly away from the seati8 to break the seal therewith.

While in the foregoin there has been shown and .des ribed the preferredform of this invention, it is to be understood that minor changes in thedetails of construction, combination and arrangement of parts may beresorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the inventionas claimed.

I claim:

1. In a container havin a discharge opening communicating with theinterior thereof, a closure cap carried by the container for movement ina curved path into and out of sealing relation with said dischargeopening, a slide member mounted on the container for" movement in a pathwhich intersects the curved path, an actuating arm carried by theclosure cap, a fulcrum lug carried by the actuating arm for engagementwith the container, an actuating lug carried by the arm and projectinginto the path of movement of the slide member, and means on the slidemember for engaging the actuating lug and moving the arm to move the:sealing cap out of sealing relation with the discharge opening as theslide member moves out of the curved path.

2. In a container having a discharge opening communicating with theinterior thereof, a closure ca-p carried by the container for movement.in a curved path into and out of sealing relation with said dischargeopening, a slide member mounted on the container for movement in a pathwhich intersects the curved path, closure cap retaining means on theslide member and movable therewith into and out of the curved path forengaging the closure cap and holding it in sealing relation with thedischarge opening, an actuating arm carried by the closure cap, afulcrum lug carried by the actuating arm for engagement with thecontainer, an actuating lug carried by the arm and projecting into thepath of movement of the slide member, and means on the slide member forengaging the actuating lug and moving the arm to move the closure capout of sealing relation with the discharge opening when the closure capretaining means moves out of the curved path.

3. In a container having a discharge opening communicating with theinterior thereof and a notch in spaced relation to the dischargeopening, a closure cap carried by the container for movement in a curvedpath into and out of sealing relation with said discharge opening, aslide member mounted "on the container for movement in a path whichintersects the curved path, an actuating arm carried by the closure cap,a fulcrum lug carried by the actuating arm for entrance into the notch,an actuating lug on the arm projecting into the path of movement of theslide member, and means carried by the slide member for engaging theactuating lug and advancing the fulcrum lug into the notch andsubsequently rocking the arm to move the closure cap out of sealingrelation with the discharge opening.

4. In a container having a discharge opening communicating with theinterior thereof and a notch in spaced relation to the dischargeopening, a closure cap carried by the container for movement in a curvedpath into and out of sealing relation with said discharge opening, aslide member mounted on the container for movement in a path whichintersects thecurved path, an actuating arm carried by the closure cap,a fulcrum lug carried by the actuating arm for entrance into the notch,an actuating lug on the arm projecting into the path of movement of theslide member, means carried by the slide member for engaging theactuating lug and advancing the fulcrum lug into the notch andsubsequently rocking the arm to move the closure cap out of sealingrelation with the discharge opening, and closure cap retaining meanscarried by the slide member and movable therewith into intersectingrelation to the curved path for engaging the closure cap and holding itin closing relation with the discharge opening.

5. In a container having a discharge opening communicating with theinterior thereof and a notch in spaced relation to the dischargeopening, a closure cap carried by the container for movement in a curvedpath into and out of sealing relation with said discharge opening, aslide member mounted on the container for movement in a path whichintersects the curved path, an actuating arm carried by the closure cap,a fulcrum lug carried by the actuating arm for entrance into the notch,an actuating lug on the arm projecting into the path of movement of theslide member, and a cam surface on the slide member for engaging theactuating lug to move the fulcrum lug into the notch and subsequentlyrock the arm about the fulcrum lug to move the closure cap in the curvedpath out of sealing relation with the discharge opening.

6. In a container having a discharge opening communicating with theinterior thereof and a notch in spaced relation to the dischargeopening, a closure cap carried by the container for movement in a curvedpath into and out of sealing relation with said discharge opening, aslide member mounted on the container for movement in a path whichintersects the curved path, an actuating arm carried by the closure cap,a fulcrum lug carried by the actuating arm for entrance into the notch,an actuating lug on the arm projecting into the path of movement of theslide member, a cam surface on the slide member for engaging theactuating lug to move the fulcrum lug into the notch and subsequentlyrock the arm about the fulcrum lug to move the closure cap in the curvedpath out of sealing relation with the discharge opening, and closure capretaining means carried by the slide member for movement therewith intointersecting relation with the curved path and engagement with theclosure cap to hold said cap in sealing relation with the dischargeopening.

'7. In a container having a discharge opening communicating with theinterior thereof, a closure cap supported by the container for rockingmovement only in a curved path into and out of sealing relation withsaid discharge opening, said cap including an actuating arm, a slidemember mounted on the container for rectilinear movement in a path whichintersects the curved path, and closure cap retaining means on the slidemember and movable therewith into and out of the curved path and havinga sliding camming engagement with the closure cap arm for rocking andholding the cap in sealing relation with the discharge opening.

8. In a receptacle of the character stated having a head, the headhaving a relatively long top surface and a discharge throat openingthrough said surface, a finger actuated cap slidably supported formovement longitudinally of said surface for covering and uncovering saidthroat opening, a sealing plate designed to be interposed between thecap and said opening to close the opening, an actuating arm connected atone end to the plate and extending lengthwise of said surface, anactuating lug formed at the other end of said arm remote from saidthroat opening, a fulcrum coupling between said other end of the arm andthe head on which the arm swings, the cap having a recess at one end forreceiving and releasably holding said lug to maintain the cap in closedposition over the mouth, a portion of the underside of the cap forming aretaining member for engaging the plate upon sliding movement of the capin one direction, and means upon the underside of the cap for cammingengagement against the lug to effect and limit the opening movement ofthe cap.

FREDERIC H. JOBSON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 2,160,976 Mirati June 6, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS Number CountryDate 468,549 Great Britain July 7, 1937 236,739 Switzerland July 2, 1945

